The unequal struggle in the smartphone market

Samsung, Oppo and Apple topped the list of the best selling smartphones in the Vietnamese market in 2017.

The launching ceremony of BPhone, a Vietnamese smartphone brand

According to GfK, 13.6 million smartphones were sold in Vietnam in the first 11 months of 2017, an increase of 3.1 percent compared with the same period of 2016. Statistics showed that sales growth slowed down as the market became saturated. The reported growth rate in the number of products sold in the first 11 months of 2016 compared with 2015 was 12.3 percent, higher than the 3.1 percent growth rate in 2017. The revenue in the first 11 months of 2017 reached $3.39 billion, a little higher than the $3.18 billion in 2016. However, the revenue growth rate was 8.4 percent only, lower than the 26.3 percent growth rate of 2016. Vo Le Tam Thanh from IDC Vietnam also commented that the market is still growing, but growth has slowed down. The average price of smartphone products sold in the first 11 months of 2017 was VND5.7 million, while it was 5.3 million in 2016.

Samsung witnessed robust growth in 2017 as it held 46.5 percent of market share, higher than the 36.7 percent in 2016. This coincides with reports released quarterly by the largest mobile phone distribution chains such as The Gioi Di Dong and FPT Shop.

Samsung witnessed robust growth in 2017 as it held 46.5 percent of market share, higher than the 36.7 percent in 2016. This coincides with reports released quarterly by the largest mobile phone distribution chains such as The Gioi Di Dong and FPT Shop. Samsung’s models are always on the lists of their bestsellers. Oppo’s market share was 19.4 percent in the first 11 months of 2017, lower than the 22.3 percent of the same period the year before. Apple holds 9.2 percent of the smartphone market share, nearly the same as the 9.3 percent of the same period of 2016. However, market share decreased from 13.6 percent in November 2016 to 9.6 percent in November 2017. The three big players have left other brands far behind. The market share of other brands are less than 5 percent. The market share of these brands decreased in the beginning of the year to mid-year, but increased in the second. Nokia, Vivo and Huawei are the best-known names of the group. They had best sellers at The Gioi Di Dong and FPT Shop.

Vietnamese brands

A report from Counterpoint Research showed that the Vietnamese smartphone market grew by 11 percent in 2017, but growth was created by global brands and brands from China, while Vietnamese brand market share decreased from 18 percent to 11 percent.